Gizzy sat in the council seat, big grin and silent, like she just told a hilarious joke and was awkwardly waiting for the punchline to generate a wave of approval.

“You can’t be serious.” The White rabbit scoffed with annoyance and revolt.

“Dead serious. It’s brilliant, snails!” Gizzy said, pausing again.

“We are fully aware of these snails. They are native to Delmar Prime, and they are a nuisance, an invasive species that destroys crops and livestock and are exterminated as pests.”

“What livestock? It’s a mining moon. All we have are chickens, and the bugs have eaten half the damn chickens. Everything else is lab grown and contained. What crops? Again, it’s a mining moon. The surface has basically no atmosphere, and it’s frozen solid. Nothing grows except cave moss and those purple roots we use for plywood. What is so complicated? The snails eat the demon bugs, no more demon bugs.”

“But then we have a snail infestation.” Argued a heavy set brown Delmarian, now sitting in Gandalf’s old seat.

“Yes…but the bugs are evil. The bugs are neurotoxic and they swarm people. Those bugs will bumrush you from 50 feet away and bite your leg for existing, the snails don’t attack unprovoked.”

“They are also toxic.” He noted.

“Technically no, they excrete a defense slime that, if ingested, is borderline hallucinogenic, and it’s often used as drugs…so yea, we will definitely have a drug market spring up around the snails BUT…better everyone high than dead. You know how much of that you have to ingest to actually die? A shitload. I’ve…run experiments. You just have a great time and wake up naked and confused. You ever partied too hard and woke up naked and confused, you get over it. You ever woke up dead and covered in bug bites? That’s not fun. Look, people are gonna make drugs and have psychedelic orgies and shit in the caves anyway. We had a Matrix Reloaded style cave-rave the other day, we had to break up. That whole section still smells like human crotch. Why not have them survive it rather than not? Plus, hear me out…the snails are delicious with butter. That solves the chicken problem.”

“So they taste like chicken?” asked a skeptic rabbit.

“No they taste like snails and garlic butter, because you put garlic butter on the snails, but it’s a viable protein that breeds at a manageable level, doesn’t attack humans, and they eat the bugs. We release wave after wave of Delmarian Lava Snails. Nature, uh, finds a way.” She concluded. “Artificially…with my help.”

“So your solution to an invasive species is to release another invasive species?”

“The enemy of my enemy is my edible friend. Have you even tried the snails? You haven’t tried the bugs because they are toxic and have no digestible parts. Unless you’re Menacodian, and then they’re apparently still edible. But Menacodian can eat old galvanizing and beer bottles.” Gizzy argued. “That almost doesn’t count.”

“It sounds like a very high risk.” The white sighed.

“Good, then don’t release snails into your city. I’m releasing snails into MY city. Don’t come bitchin to me when we got unlimited Escargot, less dead humans and no bugs. Get your own damn snails. I’ve already bought the whole market. The more you doubt me, the more expensive they’ll get when you want them. Just sayin.”

“Those snails have been known to kill humans before.” White bunny said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yea, in the water. They’re playful in the water and humans drown easy, they like the hot dark water in the volcanic vents, how many humans are going for a swim in the hot springs down under the tunnels? And WHY are they down there. They shouldn’t be down there anyway. The tunnels don’t flood anymore and the ones that still can, are off limits to humans. So what’s the problem? Like 10 really stupid humans may die from breaking into flooded areas they are not permitted and fuckin around with the snail hives. And in turn, picture this…NO BUGS. You know how many innocent humans NOT doing anything stupid that were NOT breaking into restricted areas got mauled by bugs this month alone? More than ten. We can either live like mole people for eternity with low power and limited resources, or we can get back out to the open areas with grass and artificial sky and realistic fake sunlight, and you’ll occasionally see snails. Either leave them alone or hunt them for food. We have a problem, and the solution, people, is a metric fuckton of rapidly reproducing snails.” She said, picking up the microphone, dropping it onto the table for effect, and then returning it to the stand.

Vinn Whistled a cheerful tune, carrying some wings and fries to the Den. He made his way to the tunnel, realizing he left his favorite sauce at the mansion last game night. He made it to the top of the steps and turned to head up into the mansion basement as he noticed a sound. A hefty thump on the door leading to the open tunnels and the rest of the populated world. Another banging sound and a muffled voice.

“Please help!” she called out. Vinn rushed to the peeking slot and opened it to see a pair of red eyes with green pupils, glassy with what seemed like tears. “Please let me in!” she begged. He opened the door and was suddenly hugged by a very scared Delmarian female, slightly taller than himself. He kicked the door shut and locked it.

“What happened, are you hurt?” he asked.

“I… I didn’t know where to go.” She said, looking scared and confused.

“Follow me, tell me what happened.”

“Vinn, hurry up, we go-” Nicole started, noticing him bringing a scared looking 8 foot furry woman into their den. “What’s going on?”

“We’re working on that. She’s scared and shaken up, she was pounding on the door from the tunnels. She’s pretty shook up.”

“Should we call someone?” Nicole asked.

“NO!” the stranger insisted, “It’s not safe.”

“Sit on the couch. Nicole, get her some water and food, just breathe, what’s after you?” Vinn asked.

“I can’t go back. I’d rather die than go back.” She said cryptically.

“To who?” Vinn asked.

“The core.” She said, welling up.

“You’re military class. That explains the build. Did you run away?”

“I had to. They just work us to death.”

“Military training isn’t easy, but you look strong.”

“There’s no military anymore. Gizzy broke that a year ago.”

“I don’t get it, they just let us go when they canceled the war.”

“Yea, the adults just got turned loose. The younger recruits got returned to their parents. Mine are dead. So we just got…trapped there. There’s no training or funding, we’re just orphan’s slave labor. We work, we go to our bunks, we eat, we work. There’s no point, no training, no graduating. They just keep you. Well, I’m old enough to escape, so I’m old enough to leave. But everything is locked down. The surface is a death trap, I ended up breaking into 3 places looking for a basement entrance. I ran until I couldn’t run and ended up at a dead end at your locked door. So I just…sat there.” She said, as Nicole brought her food and water.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“You poor thing.” Nicole said trying to be comforting to the girl 5 times her size.

“Wow, this is actually a really nice place. Do you live here alone?” She asked Vinn. Nicole tossed her hands up like she was invisible.”

“Uh…no, I live here with my wife. That’s her right there.” Vinn said, pointing to Nicole, waving dramatically with an annoyed look.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I thought you were the maid or something.”

“Great… thanks.” She said, looking dead inside.

“No offense. You just don’t see…humans married to Delmarians very often."

“Well, Vinn is just ahead of the trend, I guess.” Nicole sighed.

“Vinn?” she asked, looking shocked. “Like Vendetta?” she smiled. “No way! You’re the arena fighter who fought for a human wife! I saw the fight! You’re like my hero!” she smiled.

“Great. Huge fan of my husband. Random Delmarian women just fangirling over my husband, in my living room.” Nicole muttered.

“Can I stay here?” she asked, almost begging.

“No.” Nicole scoffed. “We’ll get you a human cube.”

“Honey she’s a runaway from the core, free housing takes an ID. You gotta be old enough to have one. If we turn her in or call anyone, they’ll take her back. You don’t know how bad that place is, at least when it was funded you had friends and a purpose. She’s scared.” Vinn argued.

“We can’t just take in a random soldier woman into our home in secret. Vinn, do you see the problem here?” Nicole scolded.

“How old do you think she is?” Vinn asked, looking perplexed at Nicole’s reaction, turning to the female Delmarian. “Honey, how old are you?”

“Seven.” She replied.

“Oh, what the fuck!?” Nicole blurted. “You look older than me!”

“Really? Cool!” She giggled.

“No you don’t.” Vinn corrected. “You look about 7, maybe 8. Sweetie, you seriously can’t tell? Look at her jaw line.” Vinn scoffed.

“Wh-“ Nicole stammered. “Whaijus-…you look like furry aliens, okay? I can’t tell. You’re only fucking, uh, I mean flipping Seven? What’s that like, the human equivalent of 13 or 14? Holy hell, why are you nine feet tall?”

“Uh, 8 foot even. We’re bred for combat. What are you like 40 years old and 4 foot? Bred for overhead storage compartments?”

“Okay, fair…rude but also fair. Five foot and I’m 28.”

“So, still old and short, and shocked that I’m young and tall?”

“I said fair point, not keep it up…missy?” she squinted and cringed, not sure how to talk to a teenage Delmarian the size of Vinn.

“My name isn’t Missy, it’s Clutch.”

“At your age?” Vinn said with a skeptical eyebrow raise. “Little young for a title name yet.”

“Okay, fine, It’s Erurfrughggah, but My friends have been calling me Clutch. I’m old enough to earn a name; I just hiked 13 miles in the dark buglands with a knife and a survival pack. Erurfrughggah was my grandma’s birth name. It’s so old sounding. Can we please use my chosen name, I’ll be super grateful.” She begged,

“Yea why not. You can be Clutch.”

“YES!” she cheered, looking excited. “I KNEW it would stick. And you’re a champion Fupar fighter, so if you say it, nobody’s gonna argue. The Popular girls can suck it. Thicken on a thark, little miss ‘Chaos’ I get cool name too now.” She smiled. “Sorry, she’s the only one in our class the elders gave a name, and she’s such a bitch about it.”

“The hell does thicken on a thark mean?” asked a confused Nicole.

“You really don’t wanna know.” Vinn cringed. “In fact, little lady, you shouldn’t be talking like that. That’s extremely inappropriate.”

“I’m super sorry, Mister Vendetta. I’ll try and be more polite. I just got excited. You’re kind of a celebrity. You fought The Kraken. So was he as tough as they said?” she asked.

“Yep. Forced me into retirement with a limp in my left knee. Also, call me Vinn. Nobody calls me Vendetta unless I’m in court or signing legal papers.”

“What was he like… The Kraken!” she smirked.

“In general or in the pit?…actually I guess it doesn’t matter, he was basically the same in and out of the pit. Loud, belligerent, rude, cocky. Massive shithead” Vinn listed as Nicole nodded.

“Purist asshole, murderer, slaver, drug dealer, cheater, oh he abducted his own human girlfriend to auction off as a sex slave, so he was a real giant piece of shi-piece of crap.” She corrected, still not sure if cursing was okay.

“Human… I forgot your name…sorry. We curse more than you do in the core.”

“She’s right, the thark thing was exceptionally over the top, but you can curse normally around her, sweetie”

“Oh, thank fuck, I don’t know what to do around kids.” Nicole breathed with relief.

“I’m not a KID, I’m Seven. I’m a young adult.” She corrected, sticking out her tongue immaturely. Vinn discreetly shook his head “no” and then proceeded to eat a rather cold wing.

“Sorry, young lady. And NICOLE is my name. Nice to meet you, Clutch.”

“Names catching on nicely.” She smiled.

“So how did you earn that name? Are you a mechanic?” Nicole asked.

“Uh, no, I…was training to drive a tank. And they said I was so persistent that no enemy would escape my ravenous clutch.”

“Damn, they grow up so fast.” Nicole said, standing and walking to the beer fridge quickly. Grabbing 3 beers and returning to her seat.

“I’m good, but thanks.” Vinn smiled.

“Oh you wanted…No, these are all mine.” Nicole said starting in heavy.”

“Can I have one?” Clutch asked.

“No, you’re…like a teenager.”

“Honey, it’s fine, they’re human beers. They’re like 6 percent. That’s not even really alcohol yet. Kids drink at half her age in the core.”

“I am so lost on your world.” Nicole sighed, resting her face on her hand and tipping up the bottle from the side of her mouth, lethargically just letting it drain into her face.

“Honey, she’s had training amphetamines since she was 5, we literally don’t have any drugs in the house that would be dangerous for her.”

“So…” Clutch smiled, biting the cap off a beer. “Was there anything good about The Kraken? Like anything badass or interesting?”

“Nope.” Nicole muttered. “We’re all even pretty stoked his clone’s dead.” She said casually as a look of shock washed over the girl’s face. She almost looked, sad.

“His… clone is dead too?” she asked, setting the beer down and looking confused. “I don’t understand, he fought a god and lived, what…what killed him?” she gasped.

“Hopefully the head removal.” Nicole darkly sighed.

“She means the autopsy. Hopefully NOT the head removal, during the autopsy, is what she means. He was down in the lost city working on the rescue mission, he got overwhelmed and killed by people working for the General Stone. Just a matter of numbers, but he stayed behind to help 2 humans escape. He died a hero, but sadly he drowned fighting them off …just a few days ago.” Vinn said, giving Nicole a weird look.

“Where’s your guy’s bathroom?” Clutch asked, getting up and heading where Vinn was pointing. “Sorry, excuse me, I just, don’t feel good.”

Vinn’s eyes got big as Nicole stared back.

“What? He was the same piece of shit in the end.” She whispered aggressively.

“We’re not supposed to talk about that outside this group, Nicole. Gizzy fought and vouched for him to prove that Delmarians can IMPROVE themselves after cloning, so the council will agree they still have a soul. If the truth about him going back to Kraken mode got out, she’d look like an idiot and it proves nothing. Kraken died a piece of shit, and Hyde, on the record, cleaned up and died a good person. It’s bullshit, but it helps get Delmarian cloning legalized and the medical benefits that would ensure. We don’t know this girl, you can't shit-talk Hyde around her, or anyone outside the group.”

“Okay, I’m sorry, it’s just slipped. Why is she so upset that Hyde’s dead?”

“Maybe he was like an inspiration or something. Bad person cloned good, then he gets killed shortly after that? Kinda looks bad, like he was destined to die again. She’s an escaped military trainee, she’s been force-fed Purist cult lies and got away, she’s probably struggling to figure out who her role models are and what she believes in. I gotta try and be a positive influence, she’s very vulnerable.”

“I really just don’t understand Delmarian…anything, apparently. Society, childhood, politics, sports. I really feel like an outsider sometimes when I fuck up this badly.” Nicole groaned.

Clutch stood in front of the mirror, silently crying and trying to hold back her anger. She looked to herself in the mirror, sucking up her emotions.

“You can do this…he’s weak, he’s nothing, you’re gonna kill him. You…got this.” She said, hyping herself up and drying her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and put on a fake smile, adjusting till it looked real. She gathered her wits and left the bathroom.

“I’m so sorry about that.” She said turning the corner and sitting back down. "I don’t know what came over me. This morning I thought I was going to get taken back to that hell hole, and then I met one of my heroes, and I’m really pro-cloning, so I thought I could meet Hyde in person and he’s dead. Seems like everyone I know is dead. So it’s been a lot of emotions for me today.” She said.

“You know what. You just need sleep.” Nicole shrugged. “I get all weird and sobby sometimes when I haven’t slept in a few days, for no reason. Like someone went to the arcade and didn’t invite me when they knew I couldn’t go anyway. Broke out crying. Just rest up and help yourself to the fridge. Our cave is your cave until you figure out where you wanna go.” Nicole smiled.

“That means a lot. I was worried you’d make me go back, or turn me in. I don’t know who I can trust out here. It’s a big moon to get lost in” Clutch sighed.

“I know. Trust me, I know.” Nicole said, trying to act motherly and looking painfully awkward as she robotically gave Clutch’s arm a light pat. Solid. Like patting a fur covered tree trunk. “You’ll fit in somewhere.”